Lee Westwood Admits He's Unemployed as LIV Golf Falters

Lee Westwood, the 53-year-old former world No. 1, has declared himself unemployed.

The English golfer made the admission on The Chipping Forecast podcast, recorded on November 3, 2026.

"I currently am unemployed," Westwood said.

"I haven't signed up to anything anywhere."

His situation stems from the collapse of LIV Golf's original funding model.

The Saudi-backed league launched in 2022 with a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Westwood was one of the first high-profile players to join, signing in 2022 and later serving as co-captain of Majesticks GC.

Now, LIV Golf is attempting to launch a new version called LIV 2.0.

This new model lacks its original financial backing from the PIF.

BC Partners Credit, a new investor, recently pulled out of plans to fund LIV 2.0 amid a lack of player commitment.

Westwood confirmed he has not signed the Restructuring Support Agreement between LIV Golf and BC Partners.

"There's nothing that's been presented to me that was agreeable for LIV 2.0," he told The Straits Times.

"There are still a lot of things that would need fine-tuning; deadlines have come and gone, and I've heard nothing on whether I have to sign or not."

Several marquee players have already left LIV Golf in recent weeks.

Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Lucas Herbert, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter are among those who have exited.

Westwood's case is unique because of a hard choice with a specific deadline.

He faces a November 12 deadline to notify the DP World Tour if he wishes to play in the 2027 season.

Rejoining the DP World Tour would require serving a 10-tournament suspension.

Such a suspension would prevent him from playing until spring 2027.

"I know that if I sign up on the 12th of November, I've then got to serve a 10-tournament suspension, which takes me through the South African Open," Westwood said.

The Turkish Airlines Open in early May is likely to be his first game back.

"I've looked at the schedule, and I feel like the first event I could play in on the DP World Tour will be the Turkish Airlines Open," he told GolfMagic.

Sitting on the sidelines for that long is significant for a player of his age.

During his time on the breakaway tour, Westwood earned a fortune.

It would have been foolish for him not to accept the money when it was offered.

Westwood also addressed recent comments from Rory McIlroy and DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings.

Kinnings told The Scotsman that LIV Golf spent over $7 billion with one of its aims being to "destroy the DP World Tour."

McIlroy backed Kinnings at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on Wednesday.

"I agree with Guy," said McIlroy.

"They took players; they took sponsors; they turned professional golf into an arms race."

Westwood responded on TalkSport.

"Rory made that statement earlier this week. Obviously regurgitating what Guy Kinnings had said about LIV wanted to kill the DP World Tour," Westwood said.

"I have never heard any players who play on LIV say that they want to kill the European Tour. Why would they do that?"

"Most are actually playing on the European Tour as well, that was the main source of world ranking points."

"Why would you want to kill a tour that you is filling up your schedule?"

Westwood suggested the timing of the accusations was suspicious.

"Maybe someone else was going around saying that at Augusta. Why would you bring it up now, why now bring it up right after it happened at Augusta?"

"The statement there seems to me that we are going to try and blame LIV for everything now it is going."

"Maybe Guy is about to break some bad news to his membership and needs an excuse."

Westwood resigned his DP World Tour membership in 2023 after an arbitration panel ruled that the tour could sanction players for playing in conflicting events without a release.

He said he is considering rejoining but understands the consequences.

The DP World Tour's new hardline stance also could factor into Westwood's calculus.

CEO Guy Kinnings has said that going forward, any player who elects to play on LIV Golf 2.0 will not be able to also tee it up on the European circuit.

Westwood told The Chipping Forecast that, at 53, he is eyeing the senior circuit.

"I've looked at the start of next year, and I'm going to enter the Sunningdale Foursomes with Sam, my son, first week in March," Westwood said.

"And then there's a senior event the week after."

Westwood also addressed why he has not issued a public statement about his future.